Want to know the basics of how to paddle board standing up? While starting out paddle boarding, the best thing to do is find calm water and calm wind. Calm water is ideal for learning to find you balance on the board without the motion of waves. Waves will make your board unstable. Although that is normal for advanced paddle boarders, learning for your first time in waves can leave you discouraged.

Steps

1

Start out. Finding calm wind is not necessary but always a good idea for your first hours on a board. If you are ‘launching’ your board off of a beach you can easily be swept down the beach and if enough wind is blowing you will see your board can act like a sail. Seek calm water as well; waves make it much more difficult to balance.

Comfort is key for first timers! We love launching new paddle boarders into a lazy, well protected river where they can easily make shore if need be.

2

Practice prone paddling. Prone paddling can be used to get further away from the shore and into deeper water. To do so, lie down on the board and lie the paddle vertically along the board with the blade under your chest so it doesn't float away. With one arm on either side of the board, paddle as if you are swimming.

3

Try knee paddling. Carefully sit up and position yourself on your knees. Make sure to hold on to your paddle so it doesn't float away. You want to remain in the center of the board so the nose and tail stay level with the water.

4

Make sure you hold the paddle right. Holding a paddle board paddle is similar to how you would hold a canoe paddle. Place one hand on the T Bar grip at the top of the shaft and the other hand slightly past the the middle, closer to the blade. You can switch hands as needed to paddle on both sides to keep the board straight. Make sure the paddle is facing the right way! The angle of the blade should be facing away from you- this will eliminate drag.

5

Paddle properly. Adjust the paddle to the proper height, which is about 8" overhead. Keep your arms relatively straight to get a wider range of motion. You will be using a lot of core strength, more so than your arms. Paddle using a down and back motion, dipping the paddle in the water at the front side of your board and pushing it towards the back side. Switch sides every few paddles to remain straight.

6

Stand up. Place the paddle horizontally across the front of your board and place your feet in the center where your knees once were. You should be in a squatting position. Slowly stand up while holding on to your paddle. Keep your knees bent and your feet about shoulder width apart. Your feet should be parallel to each other. One foot in front of the other may make it more difficult to balance.

7

Turn. Paddle on one side of the board without switching sides until you are facing the direction you want to go. You will turn the opposite direction of the side you are paddling on.

8

Back paddle when necessary. Back paddling can be used to take smaller, quicker turns. Move the paddle from back to front. Dip your paddle in the water behind you, rather than in front of you, and push it forward.

9

Stop your board. Back paddle just a few times to get your board to slow down. Continuing to back paddle will cause your board to turn. A more advanced method of stopping is to step back on the tail of the board to sink it under water.

"I went paddle boarding with some friends one day. It was at camp. They already knew how to do it from personal lessons, but I had no clue. I almost ended up on the shore the the complete opposite side of the lake. I rammed into things and got stuck multiple times. My friends were to far away and they didn't come over. I had no clue how to steer, so I hated it. Now, thanks to this article, I have a basic knowledge of how to do so."..." more

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CM

Cheryl McDuffie

Jul 26

"Had no idea how to get started. He explained where I could understand."